The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-20
tR'Pru'"s ~ n FLoRrD An OF Feb. ., ies6.,
ARTICLE III.
a Money CrOu.

4
a MoMcy Crop.
Having your seed sown. il will he well enougs
| To follow Il Ia two weeks from first sowing With
another sowing, II being GOOD plan to have an
| extra bed TO 6ll emergencies.
| 1t Is much disputed question with old iobac-
CO raisers 10 Florida as to the proper time Of
sowing seed for plants for an early crop. VARYING
| nearly three months in the time rangine nor
| first December on.
Since being here have made plants ut TO trans
plant by April lst from seed sown ist February.
| tut WIN favorable conditions. consequently lazy
have some sown lst of Decembefand occa-
sional sowings since, as we are compelled to make
greater allowances here the seasons being % un-
| reliable.
Your next cousideraloN will be piece of
ground suitable Tor producing your crop. remeD-
| oering that you have none 100 rich
DO not plant iu hog yard, or use that man.
| u.e. as Il gives The favor faint that cannot be
| removed. and the buyer sure to detect. Nor win
narshy land with clay formation make sale
able article; the leaf being devoid OF gum win
| not case goOd, In burning makes black ash and
| Goals, favor poor. Otherwise most auv OF yoor
lands viii do If rich enough TO make profitable
| crop
The besi lands are some Of these red sand bot.
toms, with deep, rich snll ofa snuff or brownis1
| color; the next best is what | term as Blue
Hsmmock," consisting Of growth OF oak
hickory ash, beech palmetto, &c
| HAVING selected your ground. your first con-
sideration will he to clear it of all grass, weeds
and trash for II you list any ot il in the ridges
II makes the soil lie too loose, and your plants
| will be almost certain 10 die, sometimes even
| after having started growth
Having cleaned your ground of trash you viii
| prepare 1t somewhat as Tor c'tion, by throwing
| In low ridges two and half r three feet apart.
| II using stable manure | would first spread n
over the grOund. al The rate wished 10 apply.
| rdpnD ae wi hon l.o
throughout the soil in he most available form
Really for any fertilizer | prefer applying IL In
the same way, as the plant then feeds more
| gradually upon it, making more root formation
and carrying it more evenly through its growth,
Standing drought better and making no white
| veins, which are Objectionable as a wrapper
which of course is the most valuable part of the
crop.
Your ground must be thrown up in ridges
long enough to have one good beating rain BE-
fore setting, a. IL firms the soil so that they will
take root, and the dirt will not be 80 l0os. as to
wash or cover up your plants " hch would ne
cessitste your gong over the piece and digging
them out with your tingers-a tedious and pain
| Irl operation.
| Your ground ridged and settled. and your
plants with the main leaves about three inches
10 length, you are now rea iy for trausplanting,
for which, OF course, you must await q rain, un-
less you are ready to do il Immediately after the
| first rain. If you are intending to do much Of
it. The better plan viii be to have one trusty
hand at the bed to pull the plants, which should
be done by taking sharp iron or stick
| and loOsening the dirt beside the root with one
| hand and pulling the plant with the other
Have them laid in straigh, piles that they can be
handled readily by the droppers A good plan
Is 10 have boy drop Tor each stcker; but if
large enough to stick let them change of as il
is very hard on the back. and you will have
enough to do to keep your eyes open, as this il
labor that must be well done Let each sticker
make him dibber, by taking stick say six
inches long, large around ms good-sized broom
handle, making The point round, not sharp
| Ey stepping asiride oi his ridge and picking
| up the plant with his le hand, AT the same time
mat ing hole With the right with the dibber
placing the roots 10 the hole khie or ~ 6.psr
| than il stood In the bed he will close the dirt
around the roots By Placing the dbber about an
inch or inch and a half from the plant, pointing
1t towards the bottom of The hole and pressing
1t towards the plant, thereby pressing the dirt tc
the roots; Withdrawing The dbber, he will strike
| the surface light knock with il, thereby filing
toe last hole with loose dirt, which acts as Q
| mulch To- keep the earth from driving around the
roots The setting properly is very important,
| as otherwise it is not only lost labor but losf
plants See that they close well the bottom OF
the hole or your plant will not live. 1t il the
most important operation in the agricultural
part OF the production Of your crop. So say,
watch that IL is properly done"
AS to the distance apart for the plants you can
suit yourself. If the rows are three ieet apart
one loot to fifteen inches in The row b far
enough. II will he the dropper's duty TO place
them at the proper distance, little 10 the left
Of the centre of the ridge. II is good plan TO
have boy TO carry plants fiom the he'd to the
neld, TO keep things moving without jar. viii
say again, keep your eye on each sticker; don't
leave the field, for if you do it will be 10 your
sorrow.
In regard to fertilizers will say hard wood
ashes are best. Cotton seed makes very nice
and good leaf. butaapply plenty of it. 1 never
have seen land too rich for tobacco. but regulate
| your distance accordingly Have made OF broad
| leaf as high as twenty five hundred pounds Of
leaf to the acre at one cutting; same land would
produce upward of one Thousand pounds of
| Spanish leaf &. HoceHroE
| JANUARY 20, 1855.